Valuing Farm Woodlands

We are delighted to be working with Focus on Forestry First to bring members this event on valuing woodland on farms.

This event has been designed to highlight the potential changes in forestry and farm practices, to make the most of our tree resources, and to explore how political and grant changes are re-shaping how we see and manage timber on farms. It will also look at a snapshot of economic and environmental values and what this may look like in developing multi-functional woodlands and agroforestry systems from the farmers perspective. There will be discussions around the future of farming and forestry in Wales and delegates should come prepared for a full day outside.

Delegates will visit Bron Haul near Abergele, a Farming Connect Best Practice demonstration farm in North Wales, facilitated by Farming Connect.

Course objectives

• Raise awareness of the importance of farm woodlands and the relationships between forestry and farming for achieving multi-functional woodlands
• Understand different types/options for implementing farm woodland from commercial plantations to agroforestry
• Become aware of the value of farm woodlands and trees – economic, carbon and environmental
• Provide links between the owner and manager in the forestry supply chain

Speakers – more to be added

Jon Haines – Agroforestry Advisor, Soil Association

Jon is an Agroforestry Advisor at the Soil Association. He helps run regional and topical focused agroforestry networks, which look to bring farmers and landowners together to share their own experiences of integrating trees into their farms. Jon has a background in both Arboriculture and agriculture and has a passion for helping farmers best unlock the value of trees in their farming systems. Outside of work Jon enjoys exploring nature with his family, growing vegetables, and following rugby

Geraint Jones – Technical Officer, Farming Connect

Geraint has worked in agriculture and forestry sectors for over 40 years. In early 2016 Geraint joined Menter a Busnes and the Farming Connect Team as the Forestry Technical Officer for Wales. He works with Farming Connect’s demonstration network to facilitate knowledge transfer for farmers and foresters on a wide variety of topics from seed to saw. Working with farmers to adapt to changes in the environment and demonstrate the multifunctional benefits of trees and woodland to the farm business in terms of improving economic and environmental performance is seen as key to farmer engagement. His focus is to promote how trees can be integrated into farming systems to benefit food production, biodiversity habitats and carbon sequestration. Whilst aiming to support businesses to develop and increase efficiency and profitability, Geraint helps the sectors identify opportunities for future environmental and economic prosperity.

Dr Ruth Pybus – Farmer, Bron Haul Farm

At Bron Haul Farm, David and Ruth are managing 20 hectares of award-winning woodland for timber and biodiversity. As their young woodland grows and develops they are seeing the quality of the timber and range of products they can supply increase. They market these and a range of courses to share woodland management thinking and practice through their business, Broadleaf Wales.